DIAMOND WEDDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26034, 24 December 1945, Page 8

DIAMOND WEDDING

THE REV. AND MRS A. MORTON The Rev. A. Morton and Mrs Morton will celebrate their diamond wedding to-day. They were married at Cathcart, Scotland, on December 24, 1885, and shortly afterwards left for the New Hebrides, where Mr Morton was engaged in missionary work. He had come to work in the Pacific under the auspices of the Victorian Presbyterian Church and was ordained in Melbourne in 1886. While in the New Hebrides Mr Morton learned the Malekunan language. He compiled a dictionary and a grammar and also translated hymns and two of the gospels into the Malekunan tongue.

After several years’ service in the Pacific Mr and Mr's Morton went to Orbost, Snowy River, Victoria, where they lived for 10 years. The next shift was to Wanganui, Mr Morton being inducted the first minister of St. Andrew’s Church in that town. He served there for eight years, and a period of 12 years followed at Lovell’s Flat. He then retired from a full charge of the church and carried on supply work where vacancies occurred. Mr and Mrs Morton have resided at St. Leonards for the past 20 years. There were five children of the marriage, two of whom survive, and there are three grandchildren.